How to Use Google Sheets for Data Analysis

TL;DR

Google Sheets lets you enter, organize, format, analyze, and visualize data in a free spreadsheet that saves changes automatically to Google Drive. Beginners can start at sheets.google.com or sheets.new, then build proficiency with cell references, smart fill, formulas, functions, charts, pivot tables, conditional formatting, collaboration, and data collected through Google Forms.

Transcript

Hi everyone, Kevin here. Today we are going to learn  how to use Google Sheets. Google Sheets is free spreadsheet software that  you can use to get insights from your data. We're going to start with the absolute  basics. First, we'll look at how you   can even get Google Sheets, and I know, when  you open up Google Sheets for the first time, it may... Read More

Key Insights

• Google Sheets is free spreadsheet software that helps users analyze data and uncover the story behind it. The tutorial demonstrates this with monthly cookie sales, which can be formatted, visualized over time with a chart, and summarized through pivot tables.
• A new spreadsheet can be opened from the Google apps launcher, sheets.google.com, Google Drive, or sheets.new. The start page also offers a blank workbook, a template gallery, recent files, file search, and a picker for uploading spreadsheets from a computer.
• Google Sheets files are saved automatically to Google Drive as changes are made. Users can rename a workbook, move it into a Drive folder, star it for easier retrieval, and confirm its saved status through the cloud icon in the top bar.
• A cell reference combines a column letter with a row number. For example, A1 identifies the cell where column A intersects row 1, while B2 identifies column B and row 2. The name box displays the selected cell's reference.
• Smart fill extends a pattern from selected cells through the blue square at the selection's bottom-right corner. Entering January 2022 and February 2022 allows Sheets to continue the monthly sequence, while entering 1,000 and 2,000 can extend increases of 1,000.
• Formatting makes spreadsheet data easier to read and interpret. The Format menu and toolbar provide number formats, text formatting, alignment, wrapping, and rotation, while decimal places can be removed when the values represent whole items such as cookies sold.
• Conditional formatting helps reveal differences in data quickly. In the cookie sales example, it makes the best and worst months easier to identify, while charts provide a visual representation of how sales change over time.
• Pivot tables help users make sense of data through mouse-based dragging and dropping. The tutorial also advances from spreadsheet basics to formulas, functions, charts, pivot tables, collaboration, and collecting data from forms.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you create a new Google Sheets spreadsheet?

A new spreadsheet can be created in several ways. Open the Google apps launcher from Google.com and select Sheets, visit sheets.google.com and choose a blank workbook, or open Google Drive and select New followed by the spreadsheet option. Visiting sheets.new skips the start page and opens a new blank spreadsheet directly.

Q: What is Google Sheets used for?

Google Sheets is free spreadsheet software used to organize, analyze, and gain insights from data. The tutorial uses monthly cookie sales as an example. Users can format values, apply conditional formatting to identify stronger and weaker months, insert charts to visualize changes over time, and create pivot tables to summarize information.

Q: How are cells identified in Google Sheets?

Cells are identified by combining the letter of their column with the number of their row. The column comes first and the row follows, so the intersection of column A and row 1 is A1, while column B and row 2 is B2. The selected cell's reference also appears in the name box.

Q: How does smart fill work in Google Sheets?

Smart fill continues a recognizable pattern from two or more selected cells. After entering January 2022 and February 2022, select both cells and drag the blue square at the bottom-right corner of the selection downward. Google Sheets continues the sequence through the remaining months. The same method can extend a numerical pattern such as increases of 1,000.

Q: How do you format numbers in Google Sheets?

Select the cells containing the numbers, then use the Format menu or the number-format control in the toolbar. The available options include number formats, text formatting, alignment, wrapping, and rotation. For whole-unit sales figures, formatting the values as numbers and removing decimal places avoids suggesting that fractions of an item were sold.

Q: Does Google Sheets save changes automatically?

Google Sheets automatically saves every change to Google Drive, so users do not need to repeatedly open the File menu and save their work. The cloud icon in the top bar shows whether changes have been saved. A workbook can also be moved to a Drive folder or starred to make it easier to find later.

Q: Can you upload and edit an Excel file in Google Sheets?

An existing spreadsheet stored on a computer, including one in Microsoft Excel format, can be brought into Google Sheets. From the Sheets start page, open the file picker and upload the spreadsheet. After the upload, Google Sheets can be used to edit the file instead of requiring users to begin with a blank workbook.

Q: How can Google Sheets turn data into useful insights?

Google Sheets can turn entered data into useful insights through formatting and analysis tools. Conditional formatting can make the best and worst months visually apparent, charts can show how values change over time, and pivot tables can summarize data through dragging and dropping. Formulas, functions, and data collected from forms extend the analysis further.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Google Sheets is free spreadsheet software for analyzing data and discovering patterns. A spreadsheet can be created from the Sheets start page, Google Drive, or sheets.new. Existing spreadsheet files, including Microsoft Excel files, can also be uploaded and edited, while templates provide ready-made starting points for common needs.

• A workbook consists of cells arranged in lettered columns and numbered rows. Each cell is identified by its column and row, such as A1 or B2. Users can enter data, navigate with Tab, Enter, or arrow keys, and drag the blue fill handle to extend recognizable sequences such as months or numbers.

• Google Sheets provides formatting and analysis features that turn raw entries into useful information. Number formats, column widths, row heights, alternating colors, conditional formatting, charts, formulas, functions, and pivot tables help organize and interpret data. Files save automatically to Drive, can support offline access, and enable collaboration with others.